maier and e



K. F. G. MAIER AND E. J. McKNIGHT.

SANDING MACHINE.

AEPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. I918.

Patented J une 3, 1919.

3 SHEETS--SHEET I.

K. F. e MAIER AND E. J. McKNlGHT.

SANDING MACHINE.

APPLICATNON FILED OCT; 31. I918.

June 3, 1919. 3 SHEETSSHEET 2- Patented I! JO:

K. F. G. MAIER AND E. J. McKNlGHT.

SAN DING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT, 31. I918.

Patented June 3, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO L. s. McKnIGHr '& sonMASSACHUSETTS, n CORPQRATION OF MAINE.

OQMPANY, OF GARDNER,

SANDING-MACHINE.

\ To all it may concern:

Be it known that we, KARL F; G. MAIER.

and ELLIOTT J MCKNIGHT, citizens of the United States, residing atSOuth-Ashburnham and Gardner, respectively, county of Worcester, andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvementin'Sanding-Machines, of which the following description,-

in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates'to sanding machines,and more particularly to that type of sanding machines for treating the:curved surfaces, of wooden strips. a v

In the copendin application of KarlF. G. Maier, Serial 150. 189,009,filed August 30,1917, is shown, described and claimed a sanding-machinehaving a sanding roll, a curved table. for supporting the curved strips,such, for example, as chair backs,

-- the curvatureof'the strips will vary to suchture; In the presentinstance of the-inven-i I flexible feeding" members conveniently in theform of sprocket chains connected by transverse bars for feeding thecurved strips over the sanding roll, anda presser member orroll opposedto the sanding ro1l-for holding the strips to the sanding roll.

his is an eificient, practical machine for treating the surfaces ofwooden strips curved on "the same or approximately the same radius, butit sometimes happens that an extent that when passing simultaneouslybetween the sanding roll andthe presser roll, the latter will press upona strip of shorter radius to the exclusion of the strip ofanotherradius, or at. any. rate, exert an objectionably greater pressure uponthe former thaniupon the latter. v

One of the aims and purpose of the present invention, therefore, is toprovide means for pressing a. plurality of strips simultaneously againstthe sanding roll with sufficient'pressure to cause the; roll to properlytreat thesurfaces of the strips in case the latter have equal ordifferent radii of curvationfthis .feature is carried into practicaleffect by the rovision of-na series of arms or members which areindividually pressedby springs toward the. sanding roll, the con-Specification of Letters m t.

.Patented June 3, 1919.-

Application filed October 31, m s. Serial K012609124.

struction being "such that the strips are always members which may beadjusted toward or from the sanding roll to'vary the distance of saidfingers or members therefrom to conform to strips of different thicknessas desired, and to vary the degree of-pressure exerted bythe fingers ormembers on the strips. Another object is to provide indiyidual springsfor the pressure fingers or properly pressed against -.the sand-ing.roll..

Another object of the invention is to pro- 4 vide a support for thepressure fingers or members, and means forvarying the tension of the.springs to compensate for the wear thereon, and to differentially-pressthe fin ers or members if desired.

other object of the invention is to provide'a station or receiver forthe strips located in the path of the feeding means therefor, sothat thestrips may be picked up by the feeding means and conveyed from thestation or receiver to and between the sanding roll and pressure device.

. Other objects of theinvention are to providemeans to facilitateentrance of the pieces to be treated between-the sanding roll andpressure fingers or members; to provide means for contributing to thesupport of the j v pieces as they pass from between the sandmg roll andpressure fingers or members;

and toprovideimproved carrier means for feeding the pieces between thepressure finers or members having provision for ads 3usting andtensioning the same as required; With the aforesaid and other objectsin.

view, the character of the invention will be' best understood byreference to the following description of onefgood form thereof shown intheaccompanying drawings,

wherein Figure 1 is 'a' perspective view of one part of a machineembodying the invention, in which the sanding roll is' located above-thepressure fingers;

Fig. 2 on anenlarged scale is a'vertical section showing a portion ofthe sanding roll, a portion of 'the table supporting the pieces, andthepressure' fingers arranged beneath the roll; 4 Q i Fig. 3 is a planof the pressure fingers and the support therefor;

Fig. 4 is a view of the pressure fingers 'and their support, partly infront elevation and partly in section;

Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale is a detail of one of the tensioning devicesfor the fingers;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a machine in which the sanding roll islocated beneath the pressure fingers;

Fig. 7 is a plan of the yieldable table for contributing to the supportof the pieces as they pass from between the upper sanding roll and thepressure fingers; and

Fig. 8 is an end view of the table shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, the machine shown therein as one of anydesired character, and as illustrated in the present instance, comprisesside frames 1 and 3 (Fig. 1) connected by cross members 5 secured tosaid side frames, the

construction being such that the frame will be suitable to support theoperating parts.

The sanding roll, in the present instance of the invention, comprises acylinder 11 having a sanding or grindin surface 13 and secured to ahorizontal sha t 15 which may be supported in bearings 17 mounted on theside frames of the machine. This shaft may be provided with any suitablemeans for driving the same.

The machine is primarily intended to treat the surface of curved stripswhich are to be fed to the sanding roll. To support the strips, a table21 may be provided having a curved surface which maybe substantially inconformity with the curved surfaces of the strips to be treated. I Inthe.

' ing the strips over the table to and past the sanding roll. Toaccomplish this, in the present instance, an endless carrier 1s providedconveniently in the form of a pair of sprocket .chains 23 connected atintervals by transverse bars or feeding members 25 suitably secured tosaid chains. To guide these chains in their transit, suitable guidemeans may be provided, in the present instance, in

the form of guideways 27 having a curvature lture'in substantialaccordance with the curvature of thetable. In order thatthe transversebars may "not ride directly upon or injure the curved surface of thesupporting table, the guideways may be raised a short distance above thetable, the construction being such that as the chains are -moved to'feed the strips over the table to the sanding ood form of theinvention, comprlses a rame which may be roll, the transverse bars willride closely adjacent to, but out of contact with the curved surface ofthe table.

The sprocket chains may be guided in theirthese brackets may bevertically adjusted to give the sprocket chains the tension re- QUlIBduSuitable means may be provided for driving the sprocket chains. this, inthe present instance, a driving shaft 43 is provided journaled inbearings carried by the frame and having a sprocket wheel 45 fastthereon connected by a sprocket chain 47 with a larger sprocket wheel49on the shaft 31 referred to. The shaft 43 may have a pulley 51 fastthereon connected by a belt 53 with a smaller pulley 55 fast on ashaft'57 journaled in bearings mounted on the side frames of the machineand driven by any suitable ineans as desired. To tighten the belt 53, anidler pulley 53 may engage said belt and be carried at one end of alever 53 fulcrumed on a pin 53 on one To accomplish of the side framesofthe machine, the opposite end of said lever being provided with aspring handle 53 adapted to interlock with and be held by a toothedsector 53 in different positions of adjustment.

To contribute to the eflicient treatment of the strips, the sanding rollmay not only be rotated, 'but also may be reciprocated aXi-- ally. Toaccomplish this, the shaft for said roll: may be connectedto a yoke 57on the upper end of a lever 59 fulcrumed ,interme-. diate its ends on abracket 61 mounted on one of, the side frames. The lower end of thislever is provided with a follower 63 J which works in a cam groove in adrum 67 mounted on the driving shaft 43 referred to. The construction issuch, that ,the cam will rock said lever and reciprocate thesanding rollaxially.

The station or receiver for supporting the strips in the path of theendless carrier, in the present instance, comprises a bar 69 mounted onarms 71 fast on a rock shaft 73 journaled in bearings in brackets 75secured to the side frames of the machine. This receiver bar may beyieldingly pressed toward the work supporting table by'a coil spring 77encircling a pin and confined between an abutment 81 on one of saidbrackets and an arm 83 fast on said rock shaft. The construction issuchthat strips may be placed on the work supporting table with their lowerends resting against said receiver 'bar where they-"will remain until a.from the table, thereby allowing the lower ends of 'the strips to bepicked up by the feed bar. Continued, movement of the carrier will feedthe strips upward along the curved surface of the table to the sandingroll.

- sanding roll.

The table and sanding roll are of a width suflicient to. accommodate aplurality of strips, in the present instance, four strips 84 are shownmounted on the work table with their lower ends resting on the receiverbar in readiness to be fed to the In some cases the radius of curvatureof all of the strips is the same, but in other cases the radii ofcurvature of the strips may vary more or less. An important feature ofthe invention, therefore, relates to means for properly pressing. all ofthe strips against the sanding roll, whether their radius of curvatureis the same, or the radii of curvature are different. This means, in thepresent instance of the invention, comprises a series of members orfingers '85 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4), each having a curved pressure portion 87having a smooth surface adapted to bear on the'underfsurfaces of thestrips, and each finger or member may have a boss 89 loosely mounted ona shaft 91 secured in brackets 93 projecting up from a carrier barconveniently in the form of an angle bar 94 havlnq its ends connected toblocks 95 which may be adjustable in uprights 97 mounted in recesses98in the side frames of the machine.

To adjust these blocks in said uprights,

screws 99 may be threaded to said blocks andjournaled in bearings 101 insaid uprights, said screws being suitably confined against axialmovement relative to said bearings. At the lower ends of said screws.are

bevel gears 103 meshing with bevel gears 105 fast on the ends of atransverse shaft 107 journaled in bearings in said uprights, said shaftbeing provided with a suitable hand wheel 111. The construction issuchthat the operator may'turn the hand wheel and through the gears-andscrews described, adjust the blocks and carrier bar for the pressurefingers up or down in the uprights as desired. I

Suitable means may be provided for pressing said, fingers or membersagainst the strips passing over the sanding roll. I To accomplish this,in the present instance, each finger or member may have a shank 113conveniently integral. therewith projecting downward from the supportingshaft therefor. 'Individual coil springs 115 may be provided for thefingers, saidsprings having hook 117 (Fig. '5) which may be anchored tothe flange 119 of the finger carrier bar. The convolutions of theopposite ends of the springs may be reduced in diameter and receive theheads of screws 121 entered through holes in the finger shanks,

and having thumb nuts 123 thereon, suitable, washers 125 being confinedbetween said nuts and said finger shanks. The construcon said shanks androck said fingersup against the strips between said fingers and thesanding roll. The shanks of said fingers may engage the edge of thecarrier angle .tion is such that the springs tend to pull bar thereforto limit the up movement of the pressure fingers and prevent the same fom engaging the sanding roll when no s rips are between said fingers androll. The tension of said springs may be individually varied" byadjusting the thumb nuts on their screws; and thus the pressure of thefingers may be individually varied so as to produce equal ordifferential pressures of said fingers as desired.

In some cases it may be desirable to simultaneously and equally vary thepressures of ing roll to be efliciently treated thereby regardless oftheir radii of curvature. I

Entrance of the strips between the sanding roll and fingers may befacilitated by a floating roller 127 (Fig. 1) having trunnions mountedin elongated bearings 129 on the side frames adjacent the sanding roll,the construction being such that the roller may move upward somewhat,but the weigh-t of the roller-will assist proper entrance of the piecesbetween the sanding roll and fingers.

.S-uitable means may be provided to contribute to the support ofthepieces as they emerge from between the sanding roll and fingers. Toaccomplish this, in the present instance,'a curvedtable 135 (Figs. 1 and7) may be provided preferably of spring metal having a reverse bend 139secured to a supporting-bar 141 adapted to be adjustably scribed isadapted to sand or treat the 'con-.

vex surfaces of the curved pieces, but when the concave surfaces of thepieces are to be treated a modified form of the machine may be used inwhich the series ofv pressure fingers or members will be above the sanding roll. This modification is shown in Fig. 6, and .comprises atable146, sanding roll 147, a series of pressure fingers 149 carnaled inbearings in brackets 167 on'the up-- rights, said shaft having a handwheel 169 fast thereon. The fingers have shanks 171 connected 'by coilsprings 172 with the flange 17 3 of the angle 'bar 155. The constructionis such that the fingers areyieldingly and independently presseddownward toward the sanding roll to efliciently press the concavefaces'of the pieces against said roll. The rest of this machine may besimilar to the machine first described, and therefore, it is unnecessaryto repeat a showing thereof in Fig. 6. The two machines may be arrangedin tandem so that the convex and concave surfaces of the pieces may beprogressively fed through the machine.

The operation of the machines; will be readily understood from theforegoing description. The hand lever is operated to rock the idlerpulley to tension the belt and cause the travel of the sprocket chains.

Then the operator places the strips to be treated on the work supportingtable of the first machine with their lower ends resting against thereceiver bar. In the course of the travel of the carrier, a feed barthereof will reachfthe receiver bar and engage the I lower ends of thestrips and feed the same" up over the curved table between the sandingroll and the'presser fingers, the latter serving to properly press theconvex surfaces of the strips against the sanding roll so as to beefficiently treated thereby. Then the pieces may be fed between thesanding roll and ressure fingers of the second machine where the concavesurfaces thereof are treated.

It'will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiment shown, but that various deviations may be made therefromwithoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a machine for sanding surfaces of curvedstrips, the combination of a support having side frames, a curved tablefor su porting the strips, hearings on said si e frames, a sanding rollfor treating the strips strips, the combination of a sandin strips andfeed the same over the curved table between said sanding roll andpressure fingers.

2. In a machine for sanding surfaces of curved strips, the combinationof a support, a curved table thereon of a width suflicient to support aplurality of strips side-toside relation, a sanding roll for treatingthestrips disposed with its axis substantially horizontal, a shaftcarried by said support, a series of pressure fingers fulcrumed on saidshaft, springs cooperating with said fingers independently to press theside-to-side strips toward said roll, and means to feed the strips overthe table between said sanding roll and fingers.

3. In a machine'forsanding surfaces of roll, a

support for the strips, means to eed the strips over said support tosaid rolls, a plurality of pressure. members opposed to said roll, meansto press said members individu-- ally toward said roll, and means toadjust said members bodily relatively to said roll. 4. In a machine forsanding surfaces of strips, the combination of a sanding roll, a supportfor the strips, a carrier, a plurality of pressure members mounted onsaid carrier, and means including screws at opposite ends of saidcarrier for adjustin the pressure members relatively to said rol 5. In asanding machine for sanding-surfaces of curved strips, the combinationof a sanding roll, pressure means opposed to said roll for pressing thestrips'toward the latter, a curved table for receiving the stri s, areceiver for temporarily supporting t e strips on said table, andfeeding means for taking the strips from said receiver and for feedingthe same over said table between said sanding rolland ressure means. a

6. In a sanding machine for sanding surfaces of curved strips, thecombination of a sanding roll, a plurality of independent membersopposed to said sanding roll for.

pressing the strips thereto, a curved table for supporting the strips, areceiver for engagement with ends of the'strips to support less carrierhaving means for taking. st 'ps from said receiving station and forfeedingpresl the same over saidtable between said sure'means and sandingroll. f

8. In a sanding machine for sanding sur-' facesof curved strips, thecombination of a sanding roll, pressure means for pressing strips towardsaid roll, a curved table for supporting thestrips leading to saidsanding roll, an endless carrier for conveying the strips over saidtable between said pressure means and sanding roll, and guide means forsaid endless carrier having provision for varying the tension of saidcarrier.

9. In a sanding machine for sanding surfaces of curved strips, thecombination of a frame, a sanding roll mounted thereon, uprights on saidframe, a series of pressure members carried by said uprights, springmeans for pressing said members toward said sanding roll, a curved tablemounted on said frame for supporting the strips, and an end less carrierhaving feeding members for engaging said strips to feed the same oversaid curved table between said pressure members to feed the pieces oversaid support past said roll, and a floating roll to rest on the piecesand facilitate entrance thereof between said roll and members. I

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

K RL F. G. MAIER. V V ELLIOTT J. MQKNIGHT.

